Antihyperglycaemic activity of alcoholic extract of Aerva lanata (L.) A. L. Juss. Ex J. A. Schultes leaves in alloxan induced diabetic mice

Aerva lanata is prostrate or decumbent to erect herb. The objective of the present investigation was to study the antihyperglycaemic activity of alcoholic extract of A. lanata leaves (AL-alc) on serum glucose levels, and on the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in alloxan induced diabetic mice. AL-alc (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) and glyburide (10 mg/kg) were administered orally in alloxan (70 mg/kg, i.v.) induced diabetic mice. In AL-alc (400 mg/kg), the onset was 4 h, the peak effect was 6 h but the effect waned at 24 h. In the subacute study, repeated administration (once a day for 28 days) of the glyburide and AL-alc caused a significant reduction in the serum glucose level as compared to the vehicle treated group. AL-alc (400 mg/kg) treatment prevented a decrease in the body weight of the diabetic mice. In the OGTT, AL-alc (400 mg/kg) increased the glucose threshold at 60 min after the administration of glucose. The AL-alc (400 mg/kg) showed significantly more antihyperglycaemic activity than AL-alc (100 and 200 mg/kg).